There was no hint of arrogance from Mario Suarez as he recalled which players he’d spoken to ahead of making a move to Watford. To us they’re world famous footballers. To him they’re simply mates.

“I spoke with Thibaut Courtois, Falcao and Fernando Torres,” the midfielder, who joined the Hornets last month, casually explains. “They all told me amazing things about the Premier League.”

Not that it would’ve mattered mind you had Suarez received negative feedback from his former Atletico Madrid teammates.

The 28-year-old had harboured hopes of playing in the Premier League for several years. For one reason or another the timing had never been right.

For years he was happy in Madrid and at Atletico. He’d been with the club since the age of nine and helped Atleti to the La Liga title in 2014. A triumph that shouldn’t be underestimated considering the Real Madrid Barcelona duopoly.

But last summer Suarez had itchy feet. He wanted a new challenge and to try a new culture. With no concrete offers from England he went to Italy and joined Fiorentina. But the move didn’t work out.

Call it fate, or perhaps simple chance, but last month everything fell into place for Suarez.

He was offered the opportunity to play in the Premier League by Watford. A club managed by one of his favourite former bosses, Quique Sanchez Flores. His time to move to England had finally arrived.

“Everything at Atletico had been amazing. They were my team from when I was a child,” Suarez reflects.

“But I had to make a difficult decision in the summer. I had two years left on my contract but I had won everything in Spain apart from the Champions League, which we lost in the final.

“I wanted a new challenge. I went to Italy and it didn’t work but now I am here with Watford in the Premier League.

“It was destiny. I am here in London with a coach that knows me well. I am at a good team and a club that has a good project. I am happy with how things have turned out. I always try and see the positives.”

Suarez adds: “Players always say good things about the Premier League. Even Marcus Alonso and Borja Valero at Fiorentina.

“They had bad seasons when they played in England but they still said the fans and the stadiums were amazing. Even if they had told me it was bad I had to believe in myself.”

It’s that self-belief - and the support of his wife Malena, who is pregnant with their first child - that enabled Suarez to reject the safe option of heading back to Spain and joining Valencia.

The club, which is managed by Gary Neville, pushed hard to convince Suarez to move to the east cost of Spain.

“I had a talk with them and I am thankful for the interest but I told my agent I wanted to come to Watford,” he says.

“We have come to London which is a great city. Obviously my wife being pregnant was important. That is amazing and we are very happy.

“I wanted to come here and my wife supported me. We’re in London, a big city, but we have good connections to Madrid.

“The baby will be born in the summer holiday. So the baby will be born in Madrid and then for pre-season we will come here.”

It’s difficult not to be hugely impressed by Suarez. The Spaniard conducted his first interview since joining Watford in almost perfect English. He smiles throughout and appears a genuinely happy at Vicarage Road.

“I need to improve my English,” Suarez says humbly. “I learnt when I was young and every year I had teammates who spoke English.

“I know I say some things wrong but if you don’t speak you don’t learn how to improve. I watch TV series and movies in English with subtitles to help me. I will get better and improve.”

That last sentence is repeated by Suarez as he reflects on his first start in English football.

Watford Observer:

He was named in the starting XI against Tottenham Hotspur a little over a week ago but played just 45 minutes before being withdrawn.

Suarez admits it will take him some time to adapt to the pace of the English game but, thanks to Watford’s excellent Premier League form this season, there is no pressure on the central midfielder to hit the ground running.

He can adapt knowing he has the complete trust of Flores. The two go back several years to when Watford’s head coach was in charge of Atletico. Their relationship played a key role in bringing Suarez to Vicarage Road.

He says: “Quique told me about the club, the organisation, the football, Gino Pozzo and the town.

"He also told me about the club’s project. It is very ambitious. I like that. When I watch Watford’s games you can see they are a team. Nobody is more important than the team. I love that.

“Everyone plays for each other and gives 100 per cent. That is very important not just in football but in life. Knowing Quique was the coach was important.”

Suarez adds: “We both have more experience now but he hasn’t changed, although he speaks English now!

“He is passionate about the Premier League and Watford. He is really happy here and that’s good for the players. He is a top coach.”

And Suarez is a top player. Of that there is no doubt. In addition to winning La Liga he has lifted the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup twice and the Copa del Ray.

He has also won three caps for Spain. While that is hardly an imposing figure it is still a huge achievement given the plethora of talent, especially in the midfield, La Roja have.

“It is very difficult (to play for Spain) because, for me, we still have the best team in the world,” Suarez says.

“The team have won the European Championships twice and the World Cup. We have amazing players.

"When I played it was because I was performing at an amazing level regularly. I haven’t had the regular football recently.

“But now I am in the Premier League, the best league in the world, and the league that is watched by the most people.

“It is difficult to get back into the national team but I want to get my best form as quickly as possible. If I do that we will see what happens.”

You feel at Vicarage Road Suarez will have every opportunity to rediscover his best form. He feels instantly at home in Watford’s multicultural dressing room and wants to repay the faith the club have shown in him.

“The dressing room is amazing and that spirit is important in helping us achieve our goals,” he says.

“Troy (Deeney) is a very good captain. From the very first moment he told me if I needed anything to tell him. Heurelho Gomes was the same. All the players are amazing.”

Suarez finishes: “Watford showed a lot of confidence in me. They have given me a four-year contract and I want to give the best for them, my teammates, the coach and the Watford fans.

"I want to enjoy it. We can do beautiful things together.”